Office Gossip and Minority Employees in the South African Workplace

This book examines how employees from marginalized communities handle office gossip and provides recommendations to corporate leaders regarding on how to support their marginalized employees better. Office gossip is a phenomenon that is omnipresent in the workplace and experienced by minority employees at all levels within the organization in different ways. Gossip is felt more acutely by minority employees compared to their majority counterparts at certain occupational levels and this book provides an empirical basis for understanding this phenomenon in organizational settings based on the experiences of marginalized workers. The chapters use a variety of research methods to examine various aspects of the experience of office gossip among marginalized employees including: perceptions of diverse groups regarding workplace gossip, workplace gossip within teams, intersectional experiences of employees from racial minority and LGBTQ+ communities and foreign nationals, experiences of managers from racial minority backgrounds, and experiences in specific fields such as sport and healthcare. This book is of interest to students and researchers of diversity studies, organization research, human resource management, and industrial psychology as well as an important resource for corporate leadership and human resource and DEI departments in corporate organizations. Preface Contents Editor and Contributors 1 Office Gossip and Minorities 1.1 Office Gossip: Definition, Theory and Measurement 1.2 Definition 1.3 Nature of Gossip 1.4 Theory 1.5 Aim of the Book and Brief Chapter Outlines References 2 A Review of Workplace Gossip: The Development of a Process Model for Studying Workplace Gossip 2.1 Introduction 2.1.1 The Development of a Process Model 2.1.2 Philosophy of the Model Development 2.1.3 The History and Construct of Workplace Gossip 2.2 Antecedents of Workplace Gossip 2.2.1 Environmental Factors 2.2.2 Managerial Factors 2.3 Views of Workplace Gossip: Gossiper Versus Victim 2.4 Moderators and Mediators 2.4.1 Moderators 2.4.2 Mediators 2.5 Consequences of the Workplace Gossip 2.5.1 Individual Level 2.5.2 Work-Group Level 2.5.3 Organizational Level 2.5.4 Feedback Loop 2.6 Discussion 2.6.1 Chapter Summary (Conclusion) References 3 Exploring the Perceptions of Diverse Groups Regarding Workplace Gossip 3.1 Gossip in Diverse Groups 3.2 Theoretical Frameworks: Social Identity and Contact Theories 3.2.1 Social Identity Theory as a Framework 3.2.2 Contact Theory as a Framework 3.3 Literature Review 3.3.1 Gossip Explained: The Diversity of Definitions and Processes 3.4 Gossip Within the South African Context 3.5 Gossip in the Workplace: The What, Who, Why, and How 3.5.1 The What: Characteristics of Workplace Gossip 3.5.2 The Who: Role-Players in Workplace Gossip 3.6 The How: Impact and Consequences of Workplace Gossip 3.6.1 Organizational Impact 3.6.2 Group Impact 3.6.3 Individual Impact 3.7 Differentiating Between Forms of Gossip: Healthy Versus Harmful 3.7.1 Understanding Gossip as a Form of Communication 3.8 Healthy Versus Harmful Workplace Gossip 3.9 Results and Discussion 3.9.1 Cultural Diversity and the Perceptions of Workplace Gossip: Exploring the Findings of a South African Study 3.9.2 Background to the Study 3.9.3 The Case Studies 3.10 A Summary of the Findings from the Study 3.11 Conclusion 3.12 Future Research References 4 Perceptions of Office Gossip Among Diverse Employee Groups in Saudi Arabia 4.1 Introductory Overview of Gossip 4.2 What is Gossip? 4.3 Implications of Gossip 4.4 Employees of Higher Education and Healthcare Sector of Saudi Arabia 4.5 Theoretical Framework 4.6 Job-Related and Non-Job-Related Gossip 4.7 Positive Versus Negative Gossip 4.8 Individuals’ Attitude Toward Gossip 4.9 Motives for Gossip 4.10 Gossip and Job Performance 4.11 Methodology 4.11.1 Study Design and Participants 4.11.2 Instrumentation 4.11.3 The Data Collection Procedure 4.11.4 Analytical Methods 4.12 Major Research Findings 4.12.1 Gossip Associated with Job 4.12.2 Employees’ Tendency to Gossip 4.12.3 Employees’ Motives for Gossip 4.12.4 Employees’ Overall Opinion About Gossip 4.12.5 Impact of Gossip on Job Performance 4.12.6 Association Between Factors Influencing Office Gossip and Gender, Nationality as Well as the Diversity of Employees’ Group in Saudi Arabia 4.13 Discussion 4.13.1 Perception of Employees About Office Gossip in Saudi Arabia 4.13.2 Gossip and Gender 4.13.3 Gossip and Diversity of Employees’ Group 4.13.4 Gossip and Nationality 4.13.5 Gossip and Job Performance 4.14 Conclusion 4.15 Future Research References 5 Gossip in Teams 5.1 Gossip and High Impact Teams 5.2 Theoretical Framework 5.3 Literature Review 5.3.1 Positive and Negative Gossip in the Workplace 5.3.2 Team Dynamics 5.3.3 Gossip and Behavioural Changes 5.4 Results and Discussion 5.4.1 Conceptualising Gossip in Consulting Firms 5.4.2 Identifying the Targets of Gossip 5.4.3 Determine the Gossipers 5.4.4 Types of Information Shared When Gossiping 5.4.5 Determining the Influence of Gossip on Individuals 5.4.6 The Influence of Gossip on the Ingroup and Outgroup 5.4.7 Overall Impact of Gossip on the Organisation 5.5 Conclusion 5.6 Future Research References 6 The Experiences of Black African Managers on Office Gossip 6.1 Introduction to Black African Managers 6.2 Theoretical Framework- Social Identity Theory 6.3 Literature Review 6.3.1 Gossip in South African Organisations 6.3.2 Transformational Changes in South African Organisations 6.3.3 Managers in Organisations 6.3.4 Target of Gossip 6.3.5 Communication in the Workplace 6.3.6 Minorities as Targets of Office Gossip 6.4 Generalised Trust 6.5 Coping with Gossip by Succumbing 6.6 Positive and Negative Gossip 6.7 Participants in the Study 6.8 Results and Discussion 6.8.1 Office Gossip Defined 6.8.2 Information Dealing with Gossip 6.8.3 Causes of Gossip 6.8.4 Negative Gossip Has Malicious Intent 6.8.5 Race as a Contributor to Gossip 6.8.6 Gender Influencing Office Gossip 6.8.7 Impact of Gossip 6.8.8 Effective Communication in Organisations 6.9 Discussion 6.10 Conclusion 6.11 Future Research References 7 The Experiences of Black African Gays and Lesbians Regarding Office Gossip 7.1 Introduction to Gossip for Gays and Lesbians 7.2 Literature Review 7.2.1 Theoretical Perspective 7.2.2 Identity Work 7.2.3 Intersectionality 7.2.4 The South African Context 7.2.5 Office Gossip 7.3 Methodology 7.4 Findings and Discussion 7.4.1 Gossip and Disregarded Identities 7.4.2 Corporate Culture 7.4.3 Forms of Gossip 7.4.4 Navigation of Organisational Cultural Norms 7.5 Findings Relating to Heterosexuals 7.6 Discussion 7.7 Conclusion References 8 Workplace Gossip and the Experiences of Foreign Nationals 8.1 Introduction on Gossip 8.2 Theoretical Framework 8.3 Literature Review 8.3.1 Causes and Types of Gossip 8.4 Results and Discussion 8.4.1 A Brief Overview of the Study 8.4.2 The Emergent Themes 8.4.3 Unpacking the Findings and Themes 8.5 Conclusion 8.6 Future Research References 9 Oh no They Didn’t! Dishing the Dirt on Office Gossip Stemming from Envy and Jealousy 9.1 Introduction to Envy, Jealousy and Office Gossip 9.2 Theoretical Perspective 9.3 Envy and Jealousy 9.4 Office Gossip 9.4.1 Positive Workplace Gossip 9.4.2 Malicious Gossip and Its Defining Elements 9.4.3 Workplace Mobbing 9.4.4 Power 9.5 Methodology 9.6 Results 9.6.1 Physical Appearance 9.6.2 Moving up the Career Ladder 9.6.3 Achieving Awards 9.6.4 Supervisor’s Envy and Jealousy 9.6.5 Overcoming Envy, Jealousy and Negative Gossip 9.7 Discussion 9.8 Conclusion 9.9 Direction for Future Research References 10 Workplace Gossip Among Dog Trainers 10.1 Introduction to Gossip for Dog Trainers 10.2 Theoretical Framework 10.2.1 Identity Work 10.2.2 Reason Action Theory 10.3 Literature Review 10.3.1 Dog Training and the Dog Unit 10.3.2 Motives for Gossiping 10.3.3 Negative and Positive Effects of Gossip 10.3.4 Gossip Model 10.3.5 Components of Workplace Gossip 10.3.6 The Subjective Nature of Gossip 10.4 Communication at the Workplace 10.5 Factors Influencing the Prevalence of Gossip 10.5.1 Impact of Gossip on Employee Behaviour 10.5.2 Conflict Resolution in a Gossipy Work Environment 10.6 Methodology 10.6.1 Research Philosophy 10.6.2 Research Approaches 10.6.3 Research Strategies 10.6.4 Time Horizon and Methodology 10.6.5 Data Collection and Data Analysis 10.7 Research Design 10.8 Themes and Sub-Themes 10.8.1 Theme 1—Type of Workplace Communication 10.8.2 Theme 2—Factors Influencing the Prevalence of Gossip 10.8.3 Theme 3—Impact of Gossip 10.8.4 Theme 4—Conflict Resolution 10.9 Discussion 10.9.1 Communication at the Workplace 10.9.2 Factors Promoting Gossip at the Workplace 10.9.3 Impact of Gossip on Employee Behaviour 10.9.4 Conflict Resolution in a Gossipy Work Environment 10.10 Conclusion 10.11 Future Research References 11 The Effect of Gossip on Marginalised Sportswomen in South Africa 11.1 Introduction and Background 11.2 Literature Review 11.2.1 Research Context 11.2.2 Gossip 11.3 Theoretical Framework 11.3.1 Identity Work 11.3.2 Intersectionality 11.4 Methodology 11.5 Research Results and Discussion 11.5.1 Thematic Analysis Map 11.5.2 Main Themes 11.5.3 Addressing the Research Questions 11.6 Conclusion 11.7 Practical Implications 11.8 Limitations and Suggestions for Further Research References 12 “Yes, Gossip is Good!”: Competition and the Performance of Camaraderie in a University Setting 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Office Gossip: The Context 12.3 Advantages of Office Gossip 12.4 Office Gossip, Conflict and Competition in a University 12.5 Performing Camaraderie: Using Space and Time 12.6 Conclusion 12.7 Future Research References